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Keywords

CeO2; nanopebbles; structural; XAS; quantum confinement effect.

Abstract

Cerium oxide (CeO2) nanopebbles have been synthesized using a facile hydrothermal method. X-ray diffraction pattern (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy analyses confirm the presence of CeO2 nanopebbles. XRD shows the formation of cubic fluorite CeO2 and the average particle size estimated from the Scherrer formula was found to be 6.69 nm. X-ray absorption spectrum of CeO2 nanopebbles exhibits two main sharp white lines at 880 and 898 eV due to the spin orbital splitting of 𝑀4 and 𝑀5. Optical absorption for the synthesized CeO2 nanopebbles exhibited a blue shift (𝐸g = 3.35 eV) with respect to the bulk CeO2 (𝐸g = 3.19 eV), indicating the existence of quantum confinement effects.